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When Ghosts Come Home
'A searing, thunderous, heartbreaking thriller.' CHRIS WHITAKER'Taut, tense, and tender - this novel hits every note.' LILY KINGAn abandoned plane. A dead body. A small town threatening to explode.Investigating the mystery of an abandoned plane and a dead body, the Sheriff of the small town of Oak Island struggles to contain long-simmering racial tensions. His troubles are soon compounded by his returning daughter, whose marriage is falling apart, and the FBI pilot sent in to help with the case.
290 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2021
470 people are currently reading
22947 people want to read
About the author
Wiley Cash
12 books1,607 followersWiley Cash is theNew York Times best selling author of The Last Ballad, A Land More Kind than Home, and This Dark Road to Mercy (William Morrow/HarperCollins). He currently serves as the writer-in-residence at the University of North Carolina-Asheville and teaches in the Mountainview Low-Residency MFA. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and their two young daughters. Please visit wileycash.com to check the scheduled events for his book tour in the fall of 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,393 reviews
January 26, 2022
When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash, J.D. Jackson (Narrator)
From the beginning of this book, I felt sad, and that feeling continued to the end. At least that feeling had me somewhat prepared for the ending but still, I felt the characters deserved more, especially Sheriff Winston Barnes, a good but flawed man, trying to do the right thing. We spend so much time in the head of Winston but also we spend time in the head of his daughter, Colleen. Winston is up for reelection and he's pretty sure he's going to lose the election to a rich man's son, a corrupt user and racist. Colleen is heartbroken and she's not sure her marriage can survive her heartbreak so she's come home to her mom and dad, feeling a bit like a failure who has to crawl back to the nest.
A plane has crashed on the tiny airfield and the body of a man is found near the plane. The plane has been abandoned, it's cargo is gone, and Winston has a major crime on his hands. What happens next can win or lose him the election and the cards are stacked against him as the FBI takes over the case. But, as things become clearer to Winston, he knows he wants to do the right thing more than he wants to keep the job he so badly needs.
I loved the story and the characters but I feel let down about the way the story ended. At some point we are no longer in the story but just bystanders being told things that happened. I think it would have hurt more to have stayed in the story but it would have been worth it to be present at the events. Still, there is a sense that no one is ever really not with a loved one, whether we know it or not.
Pub September 21st 2021 by HarperAudio
From the beginning of this book, I felt sad, and that feeling continued to the end. At least that feeling had me somewhat prepared for the ending but still, I felt the characters deserved more, especially Sheriff Winston Barnes, a good but flawed man, trying to do the right thing. We spend so much time in the head of Winston but also we spend time in the head of his daughter, Colleen. Winston is up for reelection and he's pretty sure he's going to lose the election to a rich man's son, a corrupt user and racist. Colleen is heartbroken and she's not sure her marriage can survive her heartbreak so she's come home to her mom and dad, feeling a bit like a failure who has to crawl back to the nest.
A plane has crashed on the tiny airfield and the body of a man is found near the plane. The plane has been abandoned, it's cargo is gone, and Winston has a major crime on his hands. What happens next can win or lose him the election and the cards are stacked against him as the FBI takes over the case. But, as things become clearer to Winston, he knows he wants to do the right thing more than he wants to keep the job he so badly needs.
I loved the story and the characters but I feel let down about the way the story ended. At some point we are no longer in the story but just bystanders being told things that happened. I think it would have hurt more to have stayed in the story but it would have been worth it to be present at the events. Still, there is a sense that no one is ever really not with a loved one, whether we know it or not.
Pub September 21st 2021 by HarperAudio
August 17, 2021
I’m not a fan of mysteries or crime stories, but I’m a big fan of Wiley Cash. I loved his fabulous story telling in his other three novels, so I had to read this one even though not a genre I typically enjoy. I wasn’t surprised, though, that there is much more here than the murder mystery. As always in Cash’s novels, there is a clear reflection of the time and place. In Oak Island, NC in 1984 there are divisions in the community with respect to race. There’s the racism that rears it’s ugly head to black residents of the community. A sad commentary and one that is not limited to the time as we continue to see it today. The novel focuses on the challenges of a good man, Sheriff Winston Barnes . He’s facing a challenge to his job by a crooked man who would use the position for his own means. Winston is facing challenges not just to his job, but now there’s an abandoned plane, a dead black man and at the same time worry over his sick wife. To complicate matters his adult daughter leaves her husband and comes home bearing grief and challenges of her own.
Some of the most poignant moments in the story are those reflecting the father-daughter relationship when Colleen was growing up. We see these moments from Colleen’s point of view as well as Winston’s. A third perspective is told from the point of view of Jay, the fourteen year old brother in law of the dead man, dealing with the reality of being a young black man face to face with racists, who fly a confederate flag when they drive by to harass his grieving sister.
It’s an emotional story. The grief and loss of Winston’s daughter is palatable as is that of the dead man’s widow. The ending was a such gut punch that I was not expecting. Wiley Cash writes beautifully here as in his other novels. My only reservation about the novel was the abrupt ending. I wanted a little more of the story leading up to what we find out in the last few pages. Having said that, Winston Barnes will be one of Wiley Cash’s characters that I will remember for his honesty, his principles, a good man trying to do what’s right. Wiley Cash proves to be once again a writer I’ll follow.
I received an advanced copy of this book from William Morrow/HarperCollins through Edelweiss.
June 10, 2022
I have never read Wiley Cash but I will be reading all of his past books now!!!
Every time I thought I knew what was going on —something different happened and took the plot in a different direction!! THE ENDING WAS INCREDIBLE!
I’ve never read Wiley Cash before but have discovered that he’s a master at Southern fiction. I happened to be in South Carolina as I was writing this review of a novel which takes place in Oak Island, North Carolina.
Winston Barnes is the sheriff of this small town. Up for reelection in a couple of weeks. There’s a lot of hatred between blacks and the whites who live almost neighbor to neighbor.
Since I’m here in South Carolina I can picture the setting so well, the ocean and the intercoastal, the airport and the runway.
Winston and his wife are awakened one morning by a rumbling noise that shakes the house, it sounds to them like a plane flying low and possibly crashing at the nearby airport. Winston immediately rushes to the scene only to find one man shot dead. There is an airplane with a broken wheel on one side sitting completely empty, not even a set of fingerprints can be found.
Everyone points the finger at a different person or group of persons but none of us really know who’s guilty or what this crime involves.
The FBI immediately becomes involved and Winston is not happy having the case taken away from him.
The man running for election against sheriff Winston Barnes still hangs onto his Confederate flags and wants this area to be for the elite white population. There are new homes being built very close to a highly Black neighborhood. There are a lot of threatening events in the neighborhood, often late at night with loud noise, rocks being thrown, etc.
BUT THE HEART OF THE STORY is Sheriff Winston‘s family; his wife who is ill and his daughter Colleen who had left years ago to attend college and then law school. She ended up marrying another law student while pregnant, before she got to sit for her LSATS. She has come home for reasons I will leave you to discover.
This is an extremely close knit family. They love and care about each other. I listened to this book on audio and maybe that made it so special, listening to the voices of all of the different characters. Winston is such a strong moral individual, always trying to do the right thing.Their love for the daughter knows no bounds.
This audiobook had me entranced from the very first words I heard and even while I was on vacation I had my earbuds in and my iPhone in my pocket because I couldn’t stop listening IT’S THAT GOOD!!!?
There are multiple mysteries to be solved and the characters are thoroughly and wonderfully described, they come to life on these pages!!!
I can recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery and great writing!!
I received an audiobook of this novel from the publisher and Harper Audio via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to listen to and review this wonderful novel.
Every time I thought I knew what was going on —something different happened and took the plot in a different direction!! THE ENDING WAS INCREDIBLE!
I’ve never read Wiley Cash before but have discovered that he’s a master at Southern fiction. I happened to be in South Carolina as I was writing this review of a novel which takes place in Oak Island, North Carolina.
Winston Barnes is the sheriff of this small town. Up for reelection in a couple of weeks. There’s a lot of hatred between blacks and the whites who live almost neighbor to neighbor.
Since I’m here in South Carolina I can picture the setting so well, the ocean and the intercoastal, the airport and the runway.
Winston and his wife are awakened one morning by a rumbling noise that shakes the house, it sounds to them like a plane flying low and possibly crashing at the nearby airport. Winston immediately rushes to the scene only to find one man shot dead. There is an airplane with a broken wheel on one side sitting completely empty, not even a set of fingerprints can be found.
Everyone points the finger at a different person or group of persons but none of us really know who’s guilty or what this crime involves.
The FBI immediately becomes involved and Winston is not happy having the case taken away from him.
The man running for election against sheriff Winston Barnes still hangs onto his Confederate flags and wants this area to be for the elite white population. There are new homes being built very close to a highly Black neighborhood. There are a lot of threatening events in the neighborhood, often late at night with loud noise, rocks being thrown, etc.
BUT THE HEART OF THE STORY is Sheriff Winston‘s family; his wife who is ill and his daughter Colleen who had left years ago to attend college and then law school. She ended up marrying another law student while pregnant, before she got to sit for her LSATS. She has come home for reasons I will leave you to discover.
This is an extremely close knit family. They love and care about each other. I listened to this book on audio and maybe that made it so special, listening to the voices of all of the different characters. Winston is such a strong moral individual, always trying to do the right thing.Their love for the daughter knows no bounds.
This audiobook had me entranced from the very first words I heard and even while I was on vacation I had my earbuds in and my iPhone in my pocket because I couldn’t stop listening IT’S THAT GOOD!!!?
There are multiple mysteries to be solved and the characters are thoroughly and wonderfully described, they come to life on these pages!!!
I can recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery and great writing!!
I received an audiobook of this novel from the publisher and Harper Audio via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to listen to and review this wonderful novel.
November 14, 2021
Starts with Sheriff Barnes being called out when an airplane, now abandoned, is found along with the body of a young black man. The novelty for me was the setting, which was Oak Island, a show on TV that is now in it's third season. Not that I've watched it but have seen the blurbs. So, that's the mystery but this book is only a mystery as to the who and why. It is more a story about the racial tensions in this town. With flag flying white supremacists, who are trying to drive the blacks living in the Glades, out of town.
It is also multi threaded as it is also a character study and a personal story. The Barnes adult married daughter returns home after suffering a personal grief. All this combines and provides the makings of a good and fast paced story. I have enjoyed this author's books in the past and this was no exception. The ending though, I thought, was rushed, but unexpected and shocking as well. However, thinking about it for a few days, it made sense. I even remember having a few suspicions while reading, wondering how this was a going to conclude. I still though wish it could have ended differently.
The narration by JD Johnson was terrific.
It is also multi threaded as it is also a character study and a personal story. The Barnes adult married daughter returns home after suffering a personal grief. All this combines and provides the makings of a good and fast paced story. I have enjoyed this author's books in the past and this was no exception. The ending though, I thought, was rushed, but unexpected and shocking as well. However, thinking about it for a few days, it made sense. I even remember having a few suspicions while reading, wondering how this was a going to conclude. I still though wish it could have ended differently.
The narration by JD Johnson was terrific.
July 6, 2021
Review posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Simple Brilliance.
The night Sheriff Winston Barnes and his wife Marie are awoken by the sound of a plane flying low overhead, both he and his wife get an eerie feeling. Upon investigating the incident, and discovering that the plane crashed down in an airfield nearby, he realizes why.
Sheriff Barnes notices that several things have gone awry, most notably, that there is a body of a local citizen dead next to the plane, and that he’s been murdered.
As if tensions weren’t high enough, the mayhem that ensues thereafter makes things go from bad to worse, for the residents, the Sheriff, his wife, and his daughter Colleen, visiting from Texas.
When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash is a simple, lyrical, multilayered, character-driven novel with heart. It's Southern fiction that grabbed my attention from the get-go and held it throughout. This being my first novel by Wiley Cash, I had no idea what to expect. That said, I admit to going into this novel with very high expectations, all of which were met. Mr. Cash’s novels are now on my backlist and I can’t wait to get started.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Custom House, and Wiley Cash for the arc.
Published on Goodreads, Instagram, and Twitter.
Simple Brilliance.
The night Sheriff Winston Barnes and his wife Marie are awoken by the sound of a plane flying low overhead, both he and his wife get an eerie feeling. Upon investigating the incident, and discovering that the plane crashed down in an airfield nearby, he realizes why.
Sheriff Barnes notices that several things have gone awry, most notably, that there is a body of a local citizen dead next to the plane, and that he’s been murdered.
As if tensions weren’t high enough, the mayhem that ensues thereafter makes things go from bad to worse, for the residents, the Sheriff, his wife, and his daughter Colleen, visiting from Texas.
When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash is a simple, lyrical, multilayered, character-driven novel with heart. It's Southern fiction that grabbed my attention from the get-go and held it throughout. This being my first novel by Wiley Cash, I had no idea what to expect. That said, I admit to going into this novel with very high expectations, all of which were met. Mr. Cash’s novels are now on my backlist and I can’t wait to get started.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Custom House, and Wiley Cash for the arc.
Published on Goodreads, Instagram, and Twitter.
October 23, 2021
When Ghosts come Home by Wiley Cash is a 2021 William Morrow publication.
Sheriff Winston Barnes, and his wife, are awakened by a low-lying plane, prompting Barnes to get dressed and head out to the airport for further investigation.
Upon arrival, he discovers the plane has crashed and the lone occupant has been shot to death.
Barnes recognized the deceased man-remembering he went school with his daughter, Colleen.
The crash stirs up a hornet’s nest of racial tensions, rumors, and accusations.
The timing couldn’t be worse for the sheriff as his bid for re-election, already precarious, could fall apart completely.
To complicate matters, Colleen, still recovering from a stillborn birth, has come home, and his wife, who is suffering a recurrence of her cancer is dependent on his job's healthcare benefits, making his bid for re-election even more urgent.
As the mystery deepens, Winston must contend with his election opponent, discord within his own office, and the racial threats made against the widow of the murdered man…
I have only read one other book by this author, but it was good enough to convince me all the praise heaped upon Cash was well-deserved.
This novel, however, was not as gripping as I had anticipated.
The story moves at a brisk pace, and there’s a lot going on, both on the criminal and political front, but also behind the scenes, with Winston’s wife and daughter.
We also learn that the sheriff has a troubled past, and that this case has dredged up some painful memories.
While these uncomfortable and emotional topics, create more depth to Winston’s character, and are compelling threads, they do not have a connection to the criminal elements in the story.
The underlying web of racism that suddenly floats to the surface, is the most important thread of the story, but it doesn’t get the full exploration it needed or deserved.
There was something lacking in this story, along with some pretty big plot concerns that gave the story a lack of cohesiveness and a rushed feel to it.
Major hints point to unpleasant future developments- but the conclusion was no less shocking- because of it.
I have very mixed feelings about this one. I think this author is very capable of writing higher quality material. Fans will give him the benefit of the doubt, understandably, (I do the same thing sometimes with favored authors), but I hope his next effort is more on par with his previous work.
That said, despite not measuring up to his reputation, this book is still on a level with other novels of its caliber and is not a bad way to spend a rainy fall afternoon.
3 stars
Sheriff Winston Barnes, and his wife, are awakened by a low-lying plane, prompting Barnes to get dressed and head out to the airport for further investigation.
Upon arrival, he discovers the plane has crashed and the lone occupant has been shot to death.
Barnes recognized the deceased man-remembering he went school with his daughter, Colleen.
The crash stirs up a hornet’s nest of racial tensions, rumors, and accusations.
The timing couldn’t be worse for the sheriff as his bid for re-election, already precarious, could fall apart completely.
To complicate matters, Colleen, still recovering from a stillborn birth, has come home, and his wife, who is suffering a recurrence of her cancer is dependent on his job's healthcare benefits, making his bid for re-election even more urgent.
As the mystery deepens, Winston must contend with his election opponent, discord within his own office, and the racial threats made against the widow of the murdered man…
I have only read one other book by this author, but it was good enough to convince me all the praise heaped upon Cash was well-deserved.
This novel, however, was not as gripping as I had anticipated.
The story moves at a brisk pace, and there’s a lot going on, both on the criminal and political front, but also behind the scenes, with Winston’s wife and daughter.
We also learn that the sheriff has a troubled past, and that this case has dredged up some painful memories.
While these uncomfortable and emotional topics, create more depth to Winston’s character, and are compelling threads, they do not have a connection to the criminal elements in the story.
The underlying web of racism that suddenly floats to the surface, is the most important thread of the story, but it doesn’t get the full exploration it needed or deserved.
There was something lacking in this story, along with some pretty big plot concerns that gave the story a lack of cohesiveness and a rushed feel to it.
Major hints point to unpleasant future developments- but the conclusion was no less shocking- because of it.
I have very mixed feelings about this one. I think this author is very capable of writing higher quality material. Fans will give him the benefit of the doubt, understandably, (I do the same thing sometimes with favored authors), but I hope his next effort is more on par with his previous work.
That said, despite not measuring up to his reputation, this book is still on a level with other novels of its caliber and is not a bad way to spend a rainy fall afternoon.
3 stars
June 11, 2022
3 stars.
A quiet, character-driven, small town mystery drama.
Winston is the Sheriff up for re-election in a small North Carolina town in the 1980’s. He awakens one night to the murder of a local Black man on a nearby airfield beside a mysterious plane crash. What unfolds is a story of family, race and hidden secrets.
Small town sheriff stories are usually my favourite. Unfortunately this one didn’t work for me. I’ve had my ups and downs with this author and sadly this novel falls into the “miss” pile. The pace was too slow and failed to keep my interest. It started off with an intriguing first couple of chapters but my interested faded as the storyline dragged on and failed to truly pull me in. I found the writing was too wordy and I struggled to pick the book back up once I set it down. Perhaps this would have worked better for me at a different time. I recommend it to readers who are looking for a quiet, slow, character-driven, small town mystery.
Thank you to Edelweiss for my review copy!
A quiet, character-driven, small town mystery drama.
Winston is the Sheriff up for re-election in a small North Carolina town in the 1980’s. He awakens one night to the murder of a local Black man on a nearby airfield beside a mysterious plane crash. What unfolds is a story of family, race and hidden secrets.
Small town sheriff stories are usually my favourite. Unfortunately this one didn’t work for me. I’ve had my ups and downs with this author and sadly this novel falls into the “miss” pile. The pace was too slow and failed to keep my interest. It started off with an intriguing first couple of chapters but my interested faded as the storyline dragged on and failed to truly pull me in. I found the writing was too wordy and I struggled to pick the book back up once I set it down. Perhaps this would have worked better for me at a different time. I recommend it to readers who are looking for a quiet, slow, character-driven, small town mystery.
Thank you to Edelweiss for my review copy!
October 19, 2021
One of my favorite North Carolina authors. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Quick thoughts:
Wiley Cash is one of my very favorite authors. He’s a brilliant storyteller, and When the Ghosts Come Home has great tension and suspense from the very first page.
On top of it all, it’s set in North Carolina, in a small community of which I’m familiar.
It’s a book about racism, the effects of cancer on a family, as well as addiction and many other timely and important issues, while also have a mystery and suspense at its core.
When the Ghosts Come Home is an emotional, immersive, and complex story, and I highly recommend it.
I received a gifted copy but also purchased a signed finished copy from my local book festival.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Quick thoughts:
Wiley Cash is one of my very favorite authors. He’s a brilliant storyteller, and When the Ghosts Come Home has great tension and suspense from the very first page.
On top of it all, it’s set in North Carolina, in a small community of which I’m familiar.
It’s a book about racism, the effects of cancer on a family, as well as addiction and many other timely and important issues, while also have a mystery and suspense at its core.
When the Ghosts Come Home is an emotional, immersive, and complex story, and I highly recommend it.
I received a gifted copy but also purchased a signed finished copy from my local book festival.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
July 21, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
Set in 1984 Oak Island, North Carolina, When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash revolves around honest and hardworking Sheriff Winston Barnes who lives with his wife , Marie, a cancer patient . When the noise from a low flying plane crash landing at an airfield near his home wakes him up in the middle of the night , he goes to investigate only to discover the plane abandoned and the dead body of Rodney Bellamy an African American young man who went to school with his daughter and who was the son of a teacher and civil rights activist. When some citizens of the community deliberately malign Rodney’s reputation by suggesting that his murder was a result of him being involved in drug related criminal activities his family becomes the target of threats and racially motivated suspicion and hate.
Up for reelection and pitted against a younger but shady opponent , Winston understands how crucial it is to solve the crime that has shocked his small town and inflamed racial tensions. However, his efforts are largely hampered by limited manpower and resources, FBI involvement, racially motivated groups within his own workplace and in his town as well as family issues. His only daughter Colleen , still dealing with trauma from stillborn childbirth , returns home from her husband in Dallas . While Winston deals with his wife's illness and daughter's grief he sees an escalation of racially motivated violence and a general feeling of mistrust in his immediate environment. In Winston Barnes the author creates admirable protagonist who never compromises on his integrity and sense of justice even in the face of utmost danger .
When Ghosts Come Home is an sensitive picture of family, community , crime and racial relations in a small town . This was my first Wiley Cash novel and while I liked the story and the combination of family drama and suspense with a diverse cast of characters, the pacing was a little too slow for my liking. The dialogue and emotional aspects of grief and family were beautifully portrayed but somehow the mystery angle fell short. The beginning of the story was engaging but the ending felt a little abrupt and hurried. I felt a little let down with not the ending per se but the way the ending of the story was framed .
Set in 1984 Oak Island, North Carolina, When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash revolves around honest and hardworking Sheriff Winston Barnes who lives with his wife , Marie, a cancer patient . When the noise from a low flying plane crash landing at an airfield near his home wakes him up in the middle of the night , he goes to investigate only to discover the plane abandoned and the dead body of Rodney Bellamy an African American young man who went to school with his daughter and who was the son of a teacher and civil rights activist. When some citizens of the community deliberately malign Rodney’s reputation by suggesting that his murder was a result of him being involved in drug related criminal activities his family becomes the target of threats and racially motivated suspicion and hate.
Up for reelection and pitted against a younger but shady opponent , Winston understands how crucial it is to solve the crime that has shocked his small town and inflamed racial tensions. However, his efforts are largely hampered by limited manpower and resources, FBI involvement, racially motivated groups within his own workplace and in his town as well as family issues. His only daughter Colleen , still dealing with trauma from stillborn childbirth , returns home from her husband in Dallas . While Winston deals with his wife's illness and daughter's grief he sees an escalation of racially motivated violence and a general feeling of mistrust in his immediate environment. In Winston Barnes the author creates admirable protagonist who never compromises on his integrity and sense of justice even in the face of utmost danger .
When Ghosts Come Home is an sensitive picture of family, community , crime and racial relations in a small town . This was my first Wiley Cash novel and while I liked the story and the combination of family drama and suspense with a diverse cast of characters, the pacing was a little too slow for my liking. The dialogue and emotional aspects of grief and family were beautifully portrayed but somehow the mystery angle fell short. The beginning of the story was engaging but the ending felt a little abrupt and hurried. I felt a little let down with not the ending per se but the way the ending of the story was framed .
August 24, 2021
When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash was a gripping murder mystery with several sub plots that simultaneously presented themselves within the story. It took place in 1984 on Oak Island which was located right off the mainland of North Carolina. Oak Island was a small town where most of its inhabitants knew one another. It was the kind of town where nothing very exciting happened until it did. When Ghosts Come Home was a character driven book with a suspenseful plot. It was well paced and well written. This was the first book that I have read by Wiley Cash. I hope to read some of his prior books in the near future and look forward to reading new books of his as he continues to write them.
Sheriff Winston Barnes was sound asleep next to his wife Marie when suddenly they were both awakened by a loud noise. At first the sheriff thought he had dreamt it but when he saw that his wife was sitting up next to him he knew it had been real and it was something that he could not ignore. It had sounded like a plane so Winston Barnes quickly headed for the nearby airport. Upon his arrival at the airport parking lot, Winston was surprised to see a lone two door white Datsun with North Carolina plates sitting in the otherwise empty parking lot. After receiving some help in running the plates, Winston discovered that the car belonged to Rodney Edward Bellamy, a former classmate of his daughter Colleen and son of Ed Bellamy, one of the only Black teachers in Brunswick County. Winston then saw the plane. It had been too large to have tried to land at this airport. No wonder it crash landed and now faced sideways on the runway. If that wasn’t bad enough, Winston stumbled upon a body of a Black man stretched out on the grass right beside the runway. There was blood on the man’s chest and it was soon evident that he was not only dead but had been murdered. The murdered man was Rodney Bellamy. There was no sign of a pilot, any cargo, or fingerprints in the plane. This was just what Winston Barnes needed on the eve of his campaign for re-election as sheriff. It had been an upward battle already but unless he could successfully solve this complicated mystery and murder he was doomed. What had the plane been carrying and what happened to it? Who murdered Rodney Bellamy and why was he murdered?
When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash was suspenseful yet heartbreaking at times. It depicted the real struggles a good man faced when he chose to do what was right despite the repercussions and pressures others inflicted upon him. Winston Barnes was a man of principles and believed in upholding and following the laws. He believed that all men, despite their race, deserved the same treatment, respect and judgement. The people in his tight knit community did not see things quite the same way. Would Winston Barnes be able to stand his ground and fairly in an unbiased way solve this murder and mystery and keep the respect his position required?
The many themes of family history and drama, race, class, justice, being able to separate right from wrong, standing strong for one’s own convictions and beliefs, grief, greed and racism were all explored and played significant roles in this book. I was able to anticipate some of the outcomes in When Ghosts Come Home but I still enjoyed reading it and found the ending satisfying. I highly recommend this book.
I was quite lucky to have won a printed copy of When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash in a goodreads give away. Thank you to William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers for allowing me to read this advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Sheriff Winston Barnes was sound asleep next to his wife Marie when suddenly they were both awakened by a loud noise. At first the sheriff thought he had dreamt it but when he saw that his wife was sitting up next to him he knew it had been real and it was something that he could not ignore. It had sounded like a plane so Winston Barnes quickly headed for the nearby airport. Upon his arrival at the airport parking lot, Winston was surprised to see a lone two door white Datsun with North Carolina plates sitting in the otherwise empty parking lot. After receiving some help in running the plates, Winston discovered that the car belonged to Rodney Edward Bellamy, a former classmate of his daughter Colleen and son of Ed Bellamy, one of the only Black teachers in Brunswick County. Winston then saw the plane. It had been too large to have tried to land at this airport. No wonder it crash landed and now faced sideways on the runway. If that wasn’t bad enough, Winston stumbled upon a body of a Black man stretched out on the grass right beside the runway. There was blood on the man’s chest and it was soon evident that he was not only dead but had been murdered. The murdered man was Rodney Bellamy. There was no sign of a pilot, any cargo, or fingerprints in the plane. This was just what Winston Barnes needed on the eve of his campaign for re-election as sheriff. It had been an upward battle already but unless he could successfully solve this complicated mystery and murder he was doomed. What had the plane been carrying and what happened to it? Who murdered Rodney Bellamy and why was he murdered?
When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash was suspenseful yet heartbreaking at times. It depicted the real struggles a good man faced when he chose to do what was right despite the repercussions and pressures others inflicted upon him. Winston Barnes was a man of principles and believed in upholding and following the laws. He believed that all men, despite their race, deserved the same treatment, respect and judgement. The people in his tight knit community did not see things quite the same way. Would Winston Barnes be able to stand his ground and fairly in an unbiased way solve this murder and mystery and keep the respect his position required?
The many themes of family history and drama, race, class, justice, being able to separate right from wrong, standing strong for one’s own convictions and beliefs, grief, greed and racism were all explored and played significant roles in this book. I was able to anticipate some of the outcomes in When Ghosts Come Home but I still enjoyed reading it and found the ending satisfying. I highly recommend this book.
I was quite lucky to have won a printed copy of When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash in a goodreads give away. Thank you to William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers for allowing me to read this advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 16, 2022
Set in 1984 in North Carolina, this is a murder mystery played against a small town setting. An airplane showing up where it should not be, the body of a local man found in the general vicinity. Racism. Drugs. Sheriff Winston Barnes is on the job. A fair and decent man, he will have his hands full with this case. The title is apt, touching on myriad situations found within the pages here.
This novel does not carry the dark vibe I associate with Wiley Cash. A Land More Kind Than Home remains my favorite from this author.
This novel does not carry the dark vibe I associate with Wiley Cash. A Land More Kind Than Home remains my favorite from this author.
December 6, 2021
As you would guess from the title, this is a sad book. Taking place in 1984, eastern North Carolina, it tracks a small town Sheriff as he investigates a plane crash and the maybe related death of a young black man. As you would expect, there are a lot of racial tensions simmering. There are three POVs that alternate progressing the story.
Winston Barnes is running for re-election. His opponent is looking at the position as a means to an end. He’s also dealing with his wife’s cancer.
Second, we hear from his daughter, Colleen. She’s recently suffered a stillborn birth and has left her husband and returned home. And finally, there’s Jay. He’s the fourteen years old younger brother-in-law of the dead man.
I found the book took too long to really get going. This is another book where a better editing job could have really tightened it up and kept it moving at a better pace. Cash’s strength is his ability to put you in the time and place. The characters were well developed, but at times I felt like I was given almost too much of their backstories. The book didn’t grab me until one heartbreaking scene when Winston realizes someone he thought he knew was prejudiced. It’s a scene that resonated with me, having lived through something similar.
This book went places I never expected, especially the ending. Now, there was one place where a little more Information would have been helpful.
JD Jackson did a good job with the narration.
Winston Barnes is running for re-election. His opponent is looking at the position as a means to an end. He’s also dealing with his wife’s cancer.
Second, we hear from his daughter, Colleen. She’s recently suffered a stillborn birth and has left her husband and returned home. And finally, there’s Jay. He’s the fourteen years old younger brother-in-law of the dead man.
I found the book took too long to really get going. This is another book where a better editing job could have really tightened it up and kept it moving at a better pace. Cash’s strength is his ability to put you in the time and place. The characters were well developed, but at times I felt like I was given almost too much of their backstories. The book didn’t grab me until one heartbreaking scene when Winston realizes someone he thought he knew was prejudiced. It’s a scene that resonated with me, having lived through something similar.
This book went places I never expected, especially the ending. Now, there was one place where a little more Information would have been helpful.
JD Jackson did a good job with the narration.
May 10, 2024
3.5 stars
It's 1984 and 63-year-old Winston Barnes is the sheriff of Oak Island, North Carolina, a narrow isle just off the mainland.
The region experienced violence and riots during school desegregation, and racial tensions still run high. Thus, when an unscheduled plane lands at Oak Island's tiny airport at 3:00 AM.....
....and Sheriff Barnes finds an empty aircraft with a dead black man nearby, it's a recipe for trouble.
Oak Island residents speculate that the aircraft was laden with drugs and the dead man was helping to bring them in. Sheriff Barnes isn't so sure. He knows the deceased man, a 26-year-old husband and father named Rodney Bellamy. Rodney is the son of Ed Bellamy, the only black high school teacher in the area, who - along with Winston - tried to keep peace during school integration.
When the sheriff interviews Rodney's wife Janelle, she says her husband went out the night before to buy diapers for their infant, and never returned.
The airplane incident adds an additional worry to Sheriff Barnes' already full load. Winston's wife Marie has cancer; his daughter Colleen is mourning the birth of a stillborn baby; and Barnes is in a contest for sheriff against Brad Frye - an arrogant racist with a rich daddy. Barnes' fears he'll lose the election, and with it the health benefits so vital to Marie.
When entitled candidate Frye hears about the mystery plane he rushes right over to offer his 'help.'
To further Winston's irritation, the chair of the county commission calls in the FBI - which insures Winston won't get credit for discoveries about the aircraft. And all this when the election is just a week away!
Sheriff Barnes' job is made even harder by a group of white supremacists......
.....who terrorize Janelle and her 14-year-old brother Jay. Jay's parents sent him to Oak Island because he got into trouble in his home town of Atlanta.
The white supremacist incident opens a rift in the sheriff's department, where a deputy and an office manager side with the racists.
For his part, the victim's father Ed is furious. He wants to help his daughter-in-law, and isn't about to take flak from white supremacists any more.
Ed tells the sheriff - in no uncertain terms - that he won't put up with harassment, and a showdown seems inevitable.
Two tangential story lines add interest to the story. In one, Janelle's brother Jay becomes friendly with a white teenager who's a bad influence.
In another, Winston's daughter Colleen - who lives in Texas with her husband - can't cope with her baby grief, drinks too much, and returns to Oak Island.
This is a character driven novel, with a wide array of protagonists. Unfortunately, some of the characters don't always use good judgement, and the story's ending is not totally satisfying (to me).
Nevertheless, this is a good book that would appeal to many readers.
Thanks to Netgalley, Wiley Cash, and William Morrow Publishers for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
October 15, 2021
Hot Dang!!! Wiley Cash is one fantastic storyteller, and I have loved all his books. He has changed things up a bit by adding a crime and mystery with When Ghosts Come Home and delivers us a gem of a tender, compassionate heart-tugging story about family, love, loss, community, duty, justice, and racial divides.
What I loved
The sense of time and place created in the story
A rare hero with 63- year-old Sheriff Winston Barnes who is trying to find out who abandoned a cargo plane at a local airfield and killed a man whose body is found nearby.
Easy to read, compelling, suspenseful story with many layers to it
The memorable and shocking ending I am sure no one would see coming and left me questioning whether I like what happened and how it wrapped up or not.
I highly recommend it!!
I received a copy from the publisher on EW
What I loved
The sense of time and place created in the story
A rare hero with 63- year-old Sheriff Winston Barnes who is trying to find out who abandoned a cargo plane at a local airfield and killed a man whose body is found nearby.
Easy to read, compelling, suspenseful story with many layers to it
The memorable and shocking ending I am sure no one would see coming and left me questioning whether I like what happened and how it wrapped up or not.
I highly recommend it!!
I received a copy from the publisher on EW
September 22, 2021
5 Southern Stars
Wiley Cash is a stellar storyteller and he creates memorable characters. This is perfect Southern atmospheric fiction, with a mystery thrown in. This is the fourth book of his that I’ve read, and he is a must-read writer for me.
We meet humble Sheriff Winston Barnes in the week before an election that he’s sure he will lose. He’s going to be replaced by a man who has grown up in the area and who is now trying to create a real estate empire. This man is corrupt and a racist, so it was hard to realize this good man is going to lose his job to an unworthy successor.
Sheriff Barnes and his wife are awakened by the sound of a low flying airplane that kicks off the mystery of the book. Winston discovers an abandoned cargo plane and a dead black man on the runway. No fingerprints are found in the cockpit, but it’s clear some cargo was taken away.
There’s so much more than this mystery going on. Winston’s wife is sick, and their adult daughter soon arrives home from Texas after suffering a horrible loss. The presence of the black man on the runway causes racial tension to grow in the town, some associating the murder with drugs.
As the story progresses and the mystery grows, Wiley Cash’s writing does an amazing job of placing us on Oak Island, North Carolina in the mid-1980s. As things come to a powerful ending, I experience a sense of relief only to be shaken by the very end of the book. Cash has created a remarkable character in Winston Barnes, and he seemed so real to me! I also enjoyed the perspective of Winston’s daughter Colleen and her recollections of growing up on Oak Island, especially her relationship with her father, and trying to deal with her grief.
This one met all my expectations and I would highly recommend it.
Thank you to William Morrow/Custom House and NetGalley for the copy to read and review.
Wiley Cash is a stellar storyteller and he creates memorable characters. This is perfect Southern atmospheric fiction, with a mystery thrown in. This is the fourth book of his that I’ve read, and he is a must-read writer for me.
We meet humble Sheriff Winston Barnes in the week before an election that he’s sure he will lose. He’s going to be replaced by a man who has grown up in the area and who is now trying to create a real estate empire. This man is corrupt and a racist, so it was hard to realize this good man is going to lose his job to an unworthy successor.
Sheriff Barnes and his wife are awakened by the sound of a low flying airplane that kicks off the mystery of the book. Winston discovers an abandoned cargo plane and a dead black man on the runway. No fingerprints are found in the cockpit, but it’s clear some cargo was taken away.
There’s so much more than this mystery going on. Winston’s wife is sick, and their adult daughter soon arrives home from Texas after suffering a horrible loss. The presence of the black man on the runway causes racial tension to grow in the town, some associating the murder with drugs.
As the story progresses and the mystery grows, Wiley Cash’s writing does an amazing job of placing us on Oak Island, North Carolina in the mid-1980s. As things come to a powerful ending, I experience a sense of relief only to be shaken by the very end of the book. Cash has created a remarkable character in Winston Barnes, and he seemed so real to me! I also enjoyed the perspective of Winston’s daughter Colleen and her recollections of growing up on Oak Island, especially her relationship with her father, and trying to deal with her grief.
This one met all my expectations and I would highly recommend it.
Thank you to William Morrow/Custom House and NetGalley for the copy to read and review.
March 16, 2023
This is a Historical Fiction Mystery. I did not like that it was written in third person because I found it hard to really get to know the characters. The storyline pulled me into it, and I really enjoyed the ride this book took me on, but I have to say I did not love the ending of this book. I love that I know most of the locations that this book talked about. I wish I loved the characters as much as I loved the storyline in this book. There was a lot going on in this book, but I had no trouble keeping up with everything going on in this book. I did win a Hard Copy of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway, but this is my own feelings about this book.
January 12, 2022
This is a story with several issues going on at the same time. A murder investigation, racism, a person dealing with grief, a young man dealing with bad choices, a sheriff running for reelection……..
It’s easy to determine who the murderer is, hard to sympathize with the characters, and the ending was abrupt. Each situation seemed hurried. The story didn’t flow well. I kept thinking that the author was anxious to be done with the story.
This particular novel just didn’t work for me.
It’s easy to determine who the murderer is, hard to sympathize with the characters, and the ending was abrupt. Each situation seemed hurried. The story didn’t flow well. I kept thinking that the author was anxious to be done with the story.
This particular novel just didn’t work for me.
July 27, 2021
4.5 Stars
Set in a small town in North Carolina, this story begins early in an October morning of 1984, as Winston Barnes, the local Sheriff, is awakened by the vibrations by a plane passing over their house, and into the trees across the channel of water where the small airport was located. Already sitting up beside him was his wife Maria, who is battling cancer. They both know that planes don’t land in the middle of the night, and the clock shows 3:18 AM, and Winston soon gets up to go investigate. He can’t afford not to go, his chances of being re-elected are questionable, and the election is not that far away.
When he arrives he finds the plane sitting sideways at the end of the runway, the cargo doors open. Looking around, he sees in the illumination of a flashlight making its way to him, he sees a body. With the election looming, he knows he needs to find out what had been on the plane, where it went, and who is responsible for the death of the Black man lying on the ground as soon as possible, or the wrong man will be their next sheriff.
Confederate flags, threats, breaking windows and various other despicable forms of destruction have grown in the ‘selected’ neighborhoods which are mostly populated by Black families, riding through late at night gleefully terrorizing these neighborhoods.
And now, the Sheriff’s daughter, Colleen, has returned home, leaving her husband while he slept, trying to escape the hopes and dreams she’s confronted with daily - the loss of her child. Her mother is struggling with her own health issues, and now the person sent to assist Barnes in solving this case will be staying in their home, as well.
Through various points of views, Sheriff Barnes, Colleen, and the brother-in-law, Jay, as well as the wife of the now deceased man, we get to know their stories, and the struggles and sorrows each is dealing with. Bonds form, and for some, a sense of healing, if only the beginning. A glimpse of hope for the future.
Wiley Cash always surprises me in the best way in his stories. The obstacles these characters face and the choices they make are realistic, sharing both sides of their natures, the good and the bad. While this has darker moments, it is the quiet grace with which these characters face these moments, and grow from them, that makes this story really shine, offering a beacon of light in the darkness.
Pub Date: 21 Sep 2021
Many thanks for the ARC provided by William Morrow and Custom House
#WhenGhostsComeHome #NetGalley
Set in a small town in North Carolina, this story begins early in an October morning of 1984, as Winston Barnes, the local Sheriff, is awakened by the vibrations by a plane passing over their house, and into the trees across the channel of water where the small airport was located. Already sitting up beside him was his wife Maria, who is battling cancer. They both know that planes don’t land in the middle of the night, and the clock shows 3:18 AM, and Winston soon gets up to go investigate. He can’t afford not to go, his chances of being re-elected are questionable, and the election is not that far away.
When he arrives he finds the plane sitting sideways at the end of the runway, the cargo doors open. Looking around, he sees in the illumination of a flashlight making its way to him, he sees a body. With the election looming, he knows he needs to find out what had been on the plane, where it went, and who is responsible for the death of the Black man lying on the ground as soon as possible, or the wrong man will be their next sheriff.
Confederate flags, threats, breaking windows and various other despicable forms of destruction have grown in the ‘selected’ neighborhoods which are mostly populated by Black families, riding through late at night gleefully terrorizing these neighborhoods.
And now, the Sheriff’s daughter, Colleen, has returned home, leaving her husband while he slept, trying to escape the hopes and dreams she’s confronted with daily - the loss of her child. Her mother is struggling with her own health issues, and now the person sent to assist Barnes in solving this case will be staying in their home, as well.
Through various points of views, Sheriff Barnes, Colleen, and the brother-in-law, Jay, as well as the wife of the now deceased man, we get to know their stories, and the struggles and sorrows each is dealing with. Bonds form, and for some, a sense of healing, if only the beginning. A glimpse of hope for the future.
Wiley Cash always surprises me in the best way in his stories. The obstacles these characters face and the choices they make are realistic, sharing both sides of their natures, the good and the bad. While this has darker moments, it is the quiet grace with which these characters face these moments, and grow from them, that makes this story really shine, offering a beacon of light in the darkness.
Pub Date: 21 Sep 2021
Many thanks for the ARC provided by William Morrow and Custom House
#WhenGhostsComeHome #NetGalley
October 10, 2021
Too slow and too much rumination and description. The author takes five sentences to say “she took a shower”. Believe me, there was no profound meaning to this shower. And the ending was awful. This is not among my favorite books by this author.
September 22, 2021
This was such a fantastic read! Wiley Cash is another one of those authors whose works I’ve had on my TBR for a while but never got around to reading. Despite this being my first book of his, I still went into this one with high expectations, mostly because I’ve heard so much about his works and how great of a storyteller he is — I wanted to see / experience it for myself. Well, I can say with certainty now that I’m so glad I did, as I now have another author to add to my favorites list!
Set in Oak Island, North Carolina, the story follows Sheriff Winston Barnes over the course of 4 days in the fall of 1984, as he investigates a mysterious murder. On the night before Halloween, Winston is jolted awake by what sounded like the crash of an airplane — when he goes out to the airport in the middle of the night to investigate, finds more than he bargained for: next to a huge airplane lying with its tail broken on the runaway, Winston finds the body of a black man who had been shot to death. As the investigation in the subsequent days slowly brings to light the truth of what happened that night, the small island town is forced to reckon with the community’s deeply rooted racial prejudices that get repeatedly stirred up by a Confederate flag-toting local man hellbent on ousting Winston from his job. There were technically three different threads to the narrative — the main one told involving the investigation into the mysterious abandoned plane and an equally mysterious murder, a secondary thread from the perspective of Winston’s daughter Colleen, who returns to her parents’ home bearing insurmountable grief over a devastating loss, and a third thread from the perspective of Jay, a teenaged black boy who is also he brother-in-law of Rodney Bellamy (the man found murdered on the airport runway). Through these three intertwining perspectives, the full picture of what happened eventually emerges.
In addition to the fabulous storytelling, the other thing I loved about this book was the realistic depiction of the characters, to the point that I felt like I was reading about real people dealing with real issues. There was also an incredible sense of time and place, which, combined with the well-developed characters and he beautiful, descriptive writing, made this a truly immersive reading experience. This book also hit the mark on an emotional level, as various parts of the story made me simultaneously sad, angry, heartbroken, yet also hopeful, especially during those moments when certain characters stood up to the hatred and bigotry that permeated particular sections of the community. The ending was gut wrenching and unexpected— it actually took me by surprise and made me shed real tears (which doesn’t happen often).
As I mentioned earlier, Wiley Cash is now on my list of favorite authors and I am definitely looking forward to exploring his backlist! If you’re looking for a powerful, timely story that has a elements of historical fiction, family saga, murder mystery, exploration of various community and social justice issues, etc., this is a perfect read — one I absolutely recommend!
Received ARc from William a Morrow via NetGalley
September 27, 2021
Cash's story takes place over just a few days during the fall of 1984, and its a doozy. What seems to be a fairly open-and-shut case involving drug smuggling and a murder, turns out to reveal a complex web of corruption and racism that threatens many lives in a small North Carolina town. The novel is filled with rich, life-like characters who care deeply for one another, but struggle with death, disease, potential loss of income, and fear of the future. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
January 21, 2022
I have wanted to read a Wiley Cash novel for a very long time and I certainly made the right decision by choosing "When Ghosts Come Home".
The roar of a low-flying plane awakens Sheriff Winston Barnes in the middle of the night. He quickly realizes something strange is happening at a nearby airfield. Rushing to the scene he discovers a large airplane has crash landed and sitting sideways on the runway. Not a soul in sight and no cargo on the plane, yet a dead body is lying on the grass near the crash site.
And this is only the beginning!
Winston launches a murder investigation that will not only change the course of his life but that of his community as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful read and look forward to reading more by this author.
And what a beautiful cover too!
The roar of a low-flying plane awakens Sheriff Winston Barnes in the middle of the night. He quickly realizes something strange is happening at a nearby airfield. Rushing to the scene he discovers a large airplane has crash landed and sitting sideways on the runway. Not a soul in sight and no cargo on the plane, yet a dead body is lying on the grass near the crash site.
And this is only the beginning!
Winston launches a murder investigation that will not only change the course of his life but that of his community as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful read and look forward to reading more by this author.
And what a beautiful cover too!
October 10, 2021
Sheriff Winston Barnes heads to a small airfield on the North Carolina coast after a large plane crash-landed. There is no pilot and no cargo with the plane, but the body of Rodney Bellamy is on the ground with a bullet through his chest. African-American Rodney was the son of a local teacher and civil rights activist.
Winston is running for re-election as sheriff in a close race with Bradley Frye, a wealthy redneck and land developer. Bradley and his friends fly the Rebel flag and throw rocks at the windows in Rodney's widow's house. Jay, Rodney's brother-in-law, is dealing with being a teenager in a new town full of racial prejudice, and is having a hard time staying out of trouble in that atmosphere. Winston is trying to do the right thing in a time of racial tension while everyone's eyes are on him right before the election.
Winston's daughter, Colleen, comes back to North Carolina for a surprise visit with her parents. She has recently suffered a late-term miscarriage, and is drinking to numb the emotional pain. She and her husband are grieving, and having difficulty communicating. Colleen looks back at her childhood, giving us another view of her father and the racially divided town, as her honest father investigates the murder.
Although this is a crime story, it is a sensitive character-driven story too. The book also paints a portrait of a North Carolina town in 1984. Airplanes transport people--and ghosts--in and out of North Carolina. A twist brings the story to a surprising end.
Winston is running for re-election as sheriff in a close race with Bradley Frye, a wealthy redneck and land developer. Bradley and his friends fly the Rebel flag and throw rocks at the windows in Rodney's widow's house. Jay, Rodney's brother-in-law, is dealing with being a teenager in a new town full of racial prejudice, and is having a hard time staying out of trouble in that atmosphere. Winston is trying to do the right thing in a time of racial tension while everyone's eyes are on him right before the election.
Winston's daughter, Colleen, comes back to North Carolina for a surprise visit with her parents. She has recently suffered a late-term miscarriage, and is drinking to numb the emotional pain. She and her husband are grieving, and having difficulty communicating. Colleen looks back at her childhood, giving us another view of her father and the racially divided town, as her honest father investigates the murder.
Although this is a crime story, it is a sensitive character-driven story too. The book also paints a portrait of a North Carolina town in 1984. Airplanes transport people--and ghosts--in and out of North Carolina. A twist brings the story to a surprising end.
November 22, 2021
5 Stars
September 22, 2021
Winston Barnes, Sheriff of a Coastal North Carolina town in the 1980s, is investigating a plane crash. The pilot, passengers, and cargo have disappeared, a young black man is dead, and everyone is a suspect. At the same time, racial tension is exploding in the town, and the Sheriff's daughter has left her husband and returned home. To top it all off, the Sheriff is in the middle of running for re-election.
This is a mystery told from multiple points of view, but also the story of a town torn apart by racism and corruption. Racism is the main theme, but the issue of grief is also explored. The author gives us a look deep into the hearts of the characters, especially Jay, Ed Bellamy, Winston, and Colleen. Not many mysteries can touch the heart, but this one does by baring the souls of the characters so well.
It is written with the slow, rhythmical pace of a small town, but will sometimes reach out and slap you in the face with a shock or surprise, just as life sometimes does. Fans of mysteries will enjoy this novel, but anyone who loves a well-developed story with complex characters should give this a read.
I received a free copy of this book from William Morrow and Custom House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
This is a mystery told from multiple points of view, but also the story of a town torn apart by racism and corruption. Racism is the main theme, but the issue of grief is also explored. The author gives us a look deep into the hearts of the characters, especially Jay, Ed Bellamy, Winston, and Colleen. Not many mysteries can touch the heart, but this one does by baring the souls of the characters so well.
It is written with the slow, rhythmical pace of a small town, but will sometimes reach out and slap you in the face with a shock or surprise, just as life sometimes does. Fans of mysteries will enjoy this novel, but anyone who loves a well-developed story with complex characters should give this a read.
I received a free copy of this book from William Morrow and Custom House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
July 25, 2021
Why is this the first book I have read by Wiley Cash? All of his books are based in NC which is where I live and this book especially is based EXACTLY where I live, he talks about Charlotte, Gastonia, Oak Island, Bald Head Island - everywhere I am completely familiar with. This book was AMAZING!! In the middle of the night, an airplane crashes and it wakes up Sheriff Winston and his wife. He, of course, goes to check it out and finds not only did it crash but a man near the crash appeared to have been shot. This is based back in the 80’s with a lot of racial issues going on and that is very relevant in this book throughout. This book grabbed me from the very first page and I had to devour it quickly to see how it ended. The ending had a huge twist and who doesn’t love a big twist, especially at the end? I closed the book and said “What the heck?” WOW, just wow. So beautifully written and I just loved all the characters. I must read all of his other books. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.
September 10, 2023
Mmm, not my favorite Wiley Cash. On the surface, it has all the elements I love about Cash's novels: small towns, small town people, and an atmosphere like a powder keg about to go off.
Winston Barnes is up for re-election as sheriff versus Brad Frye, a man carefully connected with local illegal activity. One night a plane crashes into their small municipal airport and Barnes goes out to investigate. He finds the plane completely empty of payload and people - and a black man shot through the chest in the adjacent field. Barnes' investigation ignites smoldering racists attitudes and suspicions, giving Frye the opportunity to twist his handling of the case.
Meanwhile, the sheriff's daughter has been struggling in Texas. Colleen's marriage is on the rocks only five months after a stillborn delivery of a son. Her husband is dealing with it by working long hours; Colleen feels abandoned when she needs him the most. She returns to her parents' house for a reset, and her father's work on the case revives complex feelings about how her unexpected pregnancy led her to drop out of law school, becoming nothing more than a successful attorney's wife.
Like I said, it's got all the good ingredients but somehow, this particular story never captured my interest. I listened to the audiobook and the voice narrator was perfect, so no fault there. I dunno, just not my cuppa! Doesn't mean I won't pick up the next Wiley Cash novel as soon as it's out.
Winston Barnes is up for re-election as sheriff versus Brad Frye, a man carefully connected with local illegal activity. One night a plane crashes into their small municipal airport and Barnes goes out to investigate. He finds the plane completely empty of payload and people - and a black man shot through the chest in the adjacent field. Barnes' investigation ignites smoldering racists attitudes and suspicions, giving Frye the opportunity to twist his handling of the case.
Meanwhile, the sheriff's daughter has been struggling in Texas. Colleen's marriage is on the rocks only five months after a stillborn delivery of a son. Her husband is dealing with it by working long hours; Colleen feels abandoned when she needs him the most. She returns to her parents' house for a reset, and her father's work on the case revives complex feelings about how her unexpected pregnancy led her to drop out of law school, becoming nothing more than a successful attorney's wife.
Like I said, it's got all the good ingredients but somehow, this particular story never captured my interest. I listened to the audiobook and the voice narrator was perfect, so no fault there. I dunno, just not my cuppa! Doesn't mean I won't pick up the next Wiley Cash novel as soon as it's out.
January 17, 2023
I stumbled upon this book courtesy of Booktok(Tina Books). I had never heard about this book or this author and really enjoyed it.
Set in 1984, a local sheriff in North Carolina investigates a plane crash with no crew or cargo. However, he finds a local man near the crash who likely has been murdered. What happened?
The novel explores racial tensions between the townspeople, grief and has an ending I could never have predicted in a million years.
I definitely want to check out other Wiley Cash titles in the future.
Goodreads review published 07/01/23
Set in 1984, a local sheriff in North Carolina investigates a plane crash with no crew or cargo. However, he finds a local man near the crash who likely has been murdered. What happened?
The novel explores racial tensions between the townspeople, grief and has an ending I could never have predicted in a million years.
I definitely want to check out other Wiley Cash titles in the future.
Goodreads review published 07/01/23
October 5, 2021
Having read this over a period of three days, I went one longer in deciding the rating. He's a favorite author and the writing is clear, nearly easy read - a full 4 stars. As are the excellent characterizations. But the plotting and the pace? I felt parts didn't quite mesh as a whole.
It's a full 3.5 stars, but I can't round it up. There are numerous individuals' backgrounds that progress more like separate short stories. And all revolve around brief and misfit strains of anxiety or grief or void. I felt a few of these lengthy asides sections pulled too much away from Winston's task and prime inquires. But even more than that I was flabbergasted at his base lacks of deep background verifications. His trustfulness (I know this is not a word) for a law officer that has been standing sheriff? I know this is 1984 but you have protocols on ALL identities of services or aftermath authorities.
Much sadder than his others. It just doesn't meld - more fanciful or hopeful toward idealist virtue/idealism, rather than fused and reality of true world outcomes. Not for the social issues or personal outcomes is this a read that holds joy as anything other than some momentary or transitory contentment.
Most might rate this a higher rating for the misery or righteous scales alone. Especially the readers who love to cry.
I do have to add somewhat later after considering his work on the whole. If you have not read other Wiley Cash, do read them. They are far better and also not filled with either tenuous or stereotyped categories of "good", "bad" etc. Some of his other novels were sublime and did not hold this scattered overlook which tried to be a town who-dun-it under a literary style onus. Very rarely does that work without leaving major juts and holes as it did here.
It's a full 3.5 stars, but I can't round it up. There are numerous individuals' backgrounds that progress more like separate short stories. And all revolve around brief and misfit strains of anxiety or grief or void. I felt a few of these lengthy asides sections pulled too much away from Winston's task and prime inquires. But even more than that I was flabbergasted at his base lacks of deep background verifications. His trustfulness (I know this is not a word) for a law officer that has been standing sheriff? I know this is 1984 but you have protocols on ALL identities of services or aftermath authorities.
Much sadder than his others. It just doesn't meld - more fanciful or hopeful toward idealist virtue/idealism, rather than fused and reality of true world outcomes. Not for the social issues or personal outcomes is this a read that holds joy as anything other than some momentary or transitory contentment.
Most might rate this a higher rating for the misery or righteous scales alone. Especially the readers who love to cry.
I do have to add somewhat later after considering his work on the whole. If you have not read other Wiley Cash, do read them. They are far better and also not filled with either tenuous or stereotyped categories of "good", "bad" etc. Some of his other novels were sublime and did not hold this scattered overlook which tried to be a town who-dun-it under a literary style onus. Very rarely does that work without leaving major juts and holes as it did here.
November 17, 2021
Sheriff Winston Barnes has his hands full. An empty, crashed plane.... a dead man who has been shot lying next to it...a wife suffering from cancer...a daughter who has returned home months after losing her baby... and an election for his office of sheriff that he is almost certain to lose. to an avowed racist who is terrifying the local black community. Add to this mess a woman who has become a widow with a brother that has come from Atlanta to live with her after a robbery attempt. He has deputies working for him whose loyalties are more than questionable...plus an FBI pilot come to repair and demanding to take away the plane that he’s not ready to release. Add all this together and you have all the ingredients for an extremely satisfying read.
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